LANSING, Mich. – In the state of Michigan’s second most important Game 7 of the day, the Lansing Locos (11-16) scored three runs in the first inning, one in the second, one in the third, three in the fourth, two in the fifth, three in the sixth, and two in the eighth to roll the Dayton Dragons (13-14), 15-7, on Sunday afternoon at Jackson® Field™.
The series lasted seven games rather than the usual six due to a Wednesday doubleheader making up a postponement from earlier in the season. Lansing won the series, four games to three, just as the Detroit Pistons won their series against the Orlando Magic.
Davis Diaz, Bobby Boser and Devin Taylor homered for Lansing – a 460-foot monster shot from Taylor, the A’s No. 8 prospect – amid a 14-hit attack. Every Lansing starter collected between one and two hits and scored between one and two runs, and both Taylor and Gunner Gouldsmith drew three walks.
Dayton starter Reynardo Cruz allowed three runs in 2/3 of an inning, followed by similar rough treatment given to Graham Osman, Jonah Hurney, Victor Diaz and Dylan Simmons, leading the Dragons to turn to first baseman John Michael Faile for the final out of the eighth inning. It was Faile’s second emergency relief appearance in three games.
Locos starter Tzu-Chen Sha gave up eight hits and seven runs in 3 1/3 innings, allowing home runs to Yerlin Confidan, Carter Graham and Ariel Almonte. But the Lansing bullpen effort that followed was superb, with Jack Mahoney (2 1/3 innings), Jose Dicochea (1 2/3), Ryan Magdic (2/3) and Jorge Marcheco (one inning) combining for 5 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Lansing Lugnuts play at South Bend from Tuesday, May 5, through Sunday, May 10, returning home from May 12-17 to host the Quad Cities River Bandits. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.
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